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Cookie Fish Cake with Sour Cream and Bananas No-Bake
Instructions
I take a deep bowl and pour in 150–200 g of sugar. I adjust the amount to taste – the final sweetness of the cake depends on how sweet the bananas are.
I pour 500 g of sour cream over the sugar. I use full-fat sour cream (20% or higher) – with the "ten percent" kind the cream comes out runny and the cake will not set.
With a mixer I beat the sugar and sour cream until the sugar has completely dissolved – usually 2–3 minutes on medium speed is enough.
I add the room-temperature butter and keep beating with the mixer. Important: the butter MUST be taken out 2 hours before cooking – cold butter will not combine with the sour cream and you will get lumps.
I add the banana pieces to the resulting mixture. I beat again until smooth – the banana gives the cream a gentle fruity note.
I pour 50 g of poppy seeds into the sour cream and banana cream and stir. The poppy seeds give pretty dark "dots" in the cross-section and a light nutty note.
I add 400 g of fish-shaped cookies to the mixture and stir gently – not with the mixer but with a spatula, so the little fish stay whole.
This is the kind of thick mass you should get – the cookies are evenly coated with cream.
I prepare a springform tin. I line the bottom with baking paper and spread in the mixture. I put it in the refrigerator for 8 hours – better overnight. During this time the cookies soften and soak through, and the cake "sets".
After 8 hours I release the springform – the sides come away easily if you run a knife along the walls.
I decorate the cake with any confectionery sprinkles. Coloured sugar balls, grated chocolate or fresh berries all work well.
The no-bake fish cookie cake with sour cream and bananas is ready. I brew some tea and invite the family to the table.Enjoy your meal!
Tips
- 1
USE full-fat sour cream (20%+) – with the "ten percent" kind the cream comes out runny and the cake will not set. Tested from my own experience.
- 2
TAKE the butter out of the refrigerator 2 hours ahead – cold butter will not combine with the sour cream and lumps will form.
- 3
Add the fish cookies at the end and WITH A SPATULA, not the mixer – otherwise the little fish crumble and the signature "shape" in the cross-section is lost.
- 4
Keep it in the refrigerator for AT LEAST 8 hours (better overnight) – with less time the cookies will not soften and the cake will be "dry". A similar principle works in other no-bake cakes too.
Video
FAQ
What can replace fish cookies? +
Alternatives: "zoological" animal cookies (similar shape, the same taste), "baked milk" cookies in small figures, soft baby cookies of the "Malyutka" type (softer, soak through faster), savoiardi in pieces (the Italian option – closer to tiramisu). The fish cookies give the cake its signature "childish" character, which is why it is loved. If you use savoiardi, reduce the amount of sour cream by 100 g (savoiardi absorb more liquid). Salty crackers are not suitable – they unbalance the sweet flavour. Importantly, the cookies should be dry, not soft or creamy.
Can I make it without poppy seeds? +
You can, but some of the "zest" will be lost. Alternatives: sesame seeds (50 g, lightly toasted in a dry pan), crushed walnuts (50 g – a more "grown-up" taste), finely chopped chocolate (50 g – brighter, for children). Poppy seeds give pretty dark "dots" in the cross-section and a light nutty note. Without them the cake stays tasty – it just becomes uniformly creamy. If you have poppy seeds but they are old, it is better not to use them: fresh poppy seeds "smell of poppy", old ones "of flour".
How long does the finished cake keep? +
In the refrigerator – 2–3 days in a closed container or under film. I do not recommend longer – sour cream loses its freshness over time and bananas darken. Do not keep it at room temperature – a no-bake cake "spreads" within an hour. You can freeze it (up to 2 weeks), but after thawing the structure "spreads" and the bananas lose their flavour – it is better eaten fresh. On the second day the taste is even brighter – the cookies are fully soaked with cream and the cake becomes "monolithic".
Can I make it without bananas? +
You can, the recipe is flexible. Alternatives: fresh strawberries, 200 g in pieces (a summer option), canned peaches, 250 g (a similar texture), kiwi, 3 pcs in pieces (a more "sour" taste, reduce the sugar by 50 g). Banana gives a soft sweetness and "glues" the cream together. You can also make it without fruit, but the cake will be denser – increase the whipping time of the sour cream so it is airier. Berries (raspberries, blueberries) must NOT be added – they release juice and the cake will "spread".
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